Game Of Thrones: 11 Characters Who've Changed Most Since Season 1

Game of Thrones has come a long way since Season 1. Back then it was watched by 'just' 2-3 million viewers, and it hadn't really managed to break through into the mainstream pop-culture conversation.

Now its U.S. viewership often tops 8 million, which is huge for HBO, and it is by most other measures - its budget, and slightly less quantifiable metrics such as hype and fan-base - the biggest TV show in the world.

It's changed a lot in other ways too: back then it was a smaller series; sure it still had a sprawling cast, but it was more focused on the tight political machinations, whereas now, as it ramps up towards the endgame, it's an ever increasingly stunning array of battles.

The cast back then was rather different too: it was led by Sean Bean, for a start, and at times it was difficult to keep track of just who everybody was, lacking the familiarity that we have now. There were 19 starring members, and a further 59 considered to be recurring cast members, which is pretty staggering. And of those 78 individuals, how many are still alive today?

23.

And even within that, some - Hot Pie, Gendry, Illyrio Mopatis, Ilyn Payne - haven't been seen for years, for various reasons, while a surprising amount of others have died and come back to life.

Some of those still going haven't changed too much since those early days - their location or circumstances might've, but their character largely remains the same - but in some cases there's been great development, and a few are almost unrecognisable.

NCTJ-qualified journalist. Most definitely not a racing driver. Drink too much tea; eat too much peanut butter; watch too much TV. Sadly only the latter paying off so far.
A mix of wise-old man in a young man's body with a child-like wonder about him and a great otherworldly sensibility.

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